What happens when your power goes out during the summer? Are you ready to face hot indoor temperatures without air conditioning? Coping with heat or humidity can be tricky without a functional AC system. In some instances of extreme heat, being without AC can prove unsafe for certain individuals.

Knowing how to keep your home cool during a power outage can help you manage hot weather effectively. By using various cooling methods, like closing off your windows and cooking outside, you can get through hot days without power and keep yourself and your family cool and comfortable for longer.

How to Keep Your House Cool Without Power

Doing what you can to keep the cool air inside your home and prevent hot air from entering your space is key. Fortunately, you can use a few handy tricks to manage your house’s indoor temperature as you wait for the power to come back on.

Try the following tips to stay cool with no AC.

1. Shut Doors Connected to Warm Rooms

You want to keep the heat out as effectively as possible. Consider closing the doors in your home, especially in warm rooms like upstairs closets or areas with direct sunlight, to help slow cool air from circulating and heating up. By shutting off the warmest places in your home from the rest of your space, you can help your house retain cool air for longer.

2. Close Your Window Curtains and Shades

One of the most effective ways to keep out the sun and heat is to close your window curtains and shades. In particular, heat-blocking or blackout curtains can work best to block out light. This practice can also be beneficial generally throughout the summer to keep your home cooler and save energy as your AC runs.

3. Use Natural Ventilation

Be sure to ventilate your home at the coolest times of the day to let cool air inside. Opening your windows and doors in the early morning or late evening can transfer some cool air into your home. Remember to close them before the early afternoon to keep the hot air outside during the warmest hours of the day.

4. Invest in Battery-Powered Fans

A battery-powered fan can be revolutionary in a power outage. Place your fans by open windows to create wind tunnels that blow hot air outside or bring cool air inside during the early morning or late evening. Another idea is to put a bucket of ice in front of a fan to blow cool air throughout the room.

5. Avoid Using Your Oven or Stove

Using your kitchen’s gas stove or oven can create more heat buildup inside your home. If possible, cook on your grill outside to prevent increasing your home’s indoor temperature.

6. Shower With Cold Water

Opt for a cold shower even if you still have hot water, as taking a hot shower can increase the humidity and heat in your home. Showering in cold water can help keep you and your home cool for longer.

7. Hang up Wet Bed Sheets

Hanging up wet bed sheets inside can help you mitigate some heat in your home. As the sheets dry, the water will evaporate in the room and create a somewhat cooler space. If you wash your laundry by hand when your power is out, you may want to hang it to dry in different places to get a slightly cooler temperature in your home.

8. Keep Your Refrigerator Closed

Opening your refrigerator can seem like a great way to cool off. However, you can compromise the cool temperature in your fridge by doing this when the power is out. Only open your refrigerator when you need to get something and close it immediately.

9. Block Your Fireplace Flue

Your fireplace flue can make it challenging to keep the air inside your home cool. You can block off or cover your fireplace flue with a draft stopper or any other cover to prevent cold air from escaping while your AC is out.

10. Unblock Your Air Vents

You want to ensure you can circulate cool air in your house when the temperature is lower. Blocked or obstructed air vents can prevent the circulation of cool air. Remove any furniture that could be blocking your vents to ensure you can promote consistent airflow.

How to Stay Cool When the Power’s Out

As much as you might try to keep your home cool, you could still feel warm when you’re moving around your house. It’s essential to do what you can to keep yourself cool, too, so you can avoid overheating and stay comfortable as you wait out the power outage. In heat waves, understanding these tricks is especially important.

Here are some ways to keep yourself cool during a power outage:

• Wear loose-fitting clothing.
• Move to cooler areas like your basement.
• Drink cold water throughout the day.
• Avoid eating hot meals.
• Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages or anything that can dehydrate you.
• Sleep with less bedding.
• Let your hair dry naturally.
• Splash your face with cold water.
• Take cold showers.
• Stay clear of areas in your home that get the most sunlight, such as a sunroom.
• Keep your physical activity to a minimum during the warmest times of the day.

Contact Us for Reliable Air Conditioning Services

While you can’t always avoid power outages, you can take proper care of your air conditioner to ensure it runs throughout the summer and serves you and your family well. Metro Services HVAC provides reliable, professional air conditioning services to keep your home’s system in top shape.

Whether you need AC repairs, replacement or installation, our team of skilled technicians is here to help. Plus, with our maintenance savings plans, you can cut costs on HVAC servicing without compromising on the quality of professional maintenance and care.

Metro Services HVAC is available 24/7 for AC services in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. Contact us for expert air conditioning service today!